Baby Bunny
by Niham
Summary: Rukia dresses her infant son up in bunny pajamas...and learns something interesting about Ichigo. Ichirukia oneshot, companion piece to Little Toes. R&R please.


A/n: A special thank you to Al May and Bleachi-nii both of whom persuaded me to finally write this scene. Sequel to Little Toes. Sue me not, I don't own Bleach. R&R please. 

Baby Bunny

They were too damn cute, those jammies. The soft white fabric was cuddly and fuzzy, and there was a big fluffy ball of cotton stitched on the rear. Two long floppy ears hung in his face. Even the feet and mittens were shaped like paws.

Footie pajamas never looked so adorable.

Scooping the baby up, Rukia wrapped her arms around his little frame, feeling the warm white fuzz between her fingers and on her cheek. The baby chewed on her shoulder with wet, toothless gums.

"Rukia?"

Absorbed in adoration, she hardly heard her husband's call. She sighed dreamily.

"Rukia? Hey!"

The dream was shattered by Ichigo's harsh voice. Rukia opened her eyes. Wasn't he supposed to be at a meeting or something?

"I thought you left already," she said, burying the baby's head into her chest and hugging him close so that Ichigo would not notice the jammies. She knew that he would freak if he saw the ears and cottom tail.

Ichigo scowled, draping his coat over sofa. "They canceled it," he cursed. "Bastards. I spent three hours in traffic, finally got there, and Ishida cancels the damn meeting!"

She stood, pivoted to the left in an attempt at a subtle exit. However, the baby bunny in her arms giggled for whatever reason, and patted her cheek with tiny paw-like mittens.

Ichigo's frowned deepened. "You haven't put him to bed yet?"

There was a moment where she heisted silently, and then there was a moment where she stammered for an excuse. "Um…I did," she said., "And then he woke up because he was hungry. I was just putting him back to bed. So, good night!"

He snagged her by the sleeve of her nightgown. "At least let me say good night." Then Rukia was pulled into a backwards embrace, caught in an entanglement of baby squirming baby extremities and thick manly arms. His hand snaked around her waist and down her thigh.

Now he wanted to be romantic!

"Ichigo…"

Rukia tensed in his arms while the hand slid across her mid thigh and traveled back up over the supple space between her hips. Up and up and up the hand went, feeling the curve of her small hips and the flat of her tummy. He whispered stupid, suggestive things in her ears.

The baby squealed as if to laugh at her plight.

Then, "Rukia?"

The hand stopped when it reached the kicking feet. Ichigo looked down, frowning. "What the hell?"

At last she was released.

"Rukia," he said, trying to see around her. "What the hell is my son wearing?"

"They're just jammies," Rukia said quickly, holding the baby closer. "Nothing warm or fuzzy— "

"Oh holy hell, are those _bunny_ _pajamas_?"

Rukia shook her head vigorously. "No, they just— I— he— " The words stuck to the inside of her throat like gooey tar. She was really going to get it this time.

"My son has a _cotton_ _tail_!" he cried and swore several times. "Hell no, Rukia!"

"It's cute," Rukia said in her own defense.

Iron hands suddenly seized her by the shoulders, and whirled her around, forcing Rukia to face him.

"It is not cute," Ichigo said lowly. "It is not _cute _when your mother puts you in a bunny costume, takes pictures, shows them to all your friends." He tugged at hood of the bunny pajamas. "_This is_ _not_ _cute_."

"Is too!"

"It's embarrassing!"

The iron grip on her shoulders slackened and she was released.

"Just take it off," he growled.

Not wanting him to undress their son himself, Rukia nodded reluctantly. Then as she kneeled to the floor, a thought occurred to her. "Ichigo?"

"What?"

She hesitated. "Did…Did your mama dress you up in bunny pajamas too?"

Silence.

The baby yawned. Ichigo refused to look in their direction. His thick shoulders were scrunched up irritably, eyes squeezed shut, and chin pressed against his collarbone.

"Ichigo?"

Ichigo cursed something under his breath.

"Oh, thunder gods," she breathed. "She did!"

"Did not." His face flushed deep violet.

"She did, and she took pictures!" Her mouth dropped open. "That's why you don't like Chappy!"

"Rukia, I swear if you tell anyone I will kill you and my son will be raised without a mother— "

Rukia immediately stuck her hand in the air. "I promise, you're secret is safe with me." Although the though of Ichigo in bunny pajamas was an overwhelming amusement, for the sake of her infant son, Rukia decided against addressing Ichigo as 'Chappy-kun.'

After much honest persuasion and self restraint, Ichigo was finally convinced that his dreadful (adorable and humiliating) secret was safe.

While she carefully unbuttoned the jammies with halfhearted enthusiasm, the baby kicked and cooed cheerfully, flapping his furry arms vigorously. He opened his mouth and sighed a loud yawn.

Rukia smiled.

It occurred to her then that it was not the bunny pajamas she loved most, but the men underneath all the fluff and fuzz…


End file.
